


Bitter/Sweet

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Angst, Banter, Bickering, M/M, Missing Scene, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29311347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: Kamui gets paid in candy for a mercenary job on the Day of Devotion. Given that he has no taste for sweets, he gives them to Leon instead.
Relationships: Kamui/Leo | Leon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Bitter/Sweet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EvilMuffins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilMuffins/gifts).



> Most of the Echoes canon pairs are a loves sweets/hates sweets pairs. [A reference for the curious.](https://serenesforest.net/fire-emblem-echoes-shadows-valentia/characters/preferences/)
> 
> Kamui and Leon are also a hates sweets/loves sweets pair, and so are Forsyth and Python.
> 
> This is based specifically upon the FEH Day of Devotion Echoes update, but just implies everyone else was there too.
> 
> A treat for EvilMuffins.

This really wasn't his kind of festival. Sure, the food stalls were nice, but it was entirely too fancy. Bouquets and ribbons everywhere, and all this talk of love. That just wasn't Kamui's thing.

Fancy sorts paid well, but often were a pain to deal with. Sure, Kamui didn't care whose gold greased his palm, but he'd rather deal with someone a little less likely to back stab him.

Except, in Askr, maybe they didn't get the message. Because here he was, with a bucket load of sweets as thanks. Not quite as bad as being shanked, but it was certainly up there in ways he certainly didn't want to get paid.

At least it'd been an easy enough job. He just helped guard some caravans, then lent a hand with the unpacking as well. Though maybe he wouldn't have gone and done all that trouble. He could've just spent his coins at the food stalls further on, and took in the atmosphere.

Because somewhere, they had to have some tasty meat dishes. Day of Devotion or not, some seller wouldn't let him down, even if he had to go to Anna herself.

Kamui frowned at his new stash. What on earth was he supposed to do with all this? There was enough sweets in this bucket to feed an entire army. Even if he _liked_ them, he couldn't eat it all if he tried. 

Plus, if he did eat, he'd get his new clothes dirty. Then Leon would never let him hear the end of it.

Kamui wore a new white tunic that Leon had made just for him, and a long tan cloak.  
He wasn't about to refuse free clothes, but white always showed stains, and in his line of work, it'd be bloodstained soon enough. Be it his blood or someone else's.

He supposed it was nice enough. He hadn't had any new tunics in quite some time. And it was hand stitched with designs. Designs that would soon get cut away by some enemy's weapon.

But, Leon had insisted. He couldn't abide by Kamui going to the Day of Devotion in his regular clothes. While Valbar hadn't changed out of his armor, Leon had provided him a sash with flowers stitched on it to liven it up, and had decorated his spear and shield as well.

He caught sight of Leon a little further ahead. Leon always looked so full of life when he was in a marketplace. No wonder the guy talked about settling down and starting a shop. It was like all the bustle of the marketplace completely faded away when he looked at Leon.

Leon, was so happy, he looked radiant. Well, even more radiant than usual. He was like a prince, with his bright white tunic edged in gold, purple cloak, white flowers braided in his lavender hair like a crown. Even his bow was wrapped up in red ribbons and white flowers. His boots came up past his knees, flawless brown leather which he must've spent an entire paycheck on.

Looking at him, so brilliant, like something out of a fairy tale made Kamui feel all over again that same confusion that muddled up his head and made him do stupid things.

Leon was so handsome and fancy and witty and full of life--No, those thoughts wouldn't get him anywhere, but awkward fights with Leon again. 

But it always left him with one question he could never answer: How the hell could anyone like Leon ever have his love left unrequited? 

His expression of happiness instantly disappeared at the sight of Kamui.

_Business as usual, I see._

"Hmm. There's a rip in your cloak already," Leon said.

"Hello to you, too," Kamui said.

"How did you do to manage to rip it on a _festival day?_?"

"I took some mercenary work. It must've snagged on one of merchandise I moved and unpacked."

"Honestly, working even during the Day of Devotion. Python could learn a thing or two from you."

"Knowing him, he wouldn't take it as a lesson so much as a cautionary tale," Kamui said.

"Ahah, yes. That he would. Now, about your cloak... I'll have it fixed in a moment."

He pulled out a thread and needle from his satchel. He held the silver needle between his thumb and his finger, and gave Kamui a look like an scolding schoolmarm.

"I did not spend days of staying up late and sewing your clothes for you to look like a vagabond," Leon said.

Leon leaned in close. He smelled sweet, like some kind of flowers. Exotic roses, with a hint of citrus fruit? He must've found some fragrance to buy among all the flowers, and put it at every pulse point.

Like so much of what Leon did, this was there to catch Valbar's eye. That left the old familiar bitter feeling. Valbar wouldn't even notice Leon, not like that. No matter what fancy clothes or perfumes he put on. 

But Kamui would notice. He always did.

(Valbar would notice the way Leon held a bow and kept the battlefield. He'd notice how his friend was doing, he'd always cheer Leon up, but anything further would be lost in translation.)

Kamui stood very still, and swallowed. Not just because Leon had a very sharp implement aimed at his vital artery, but the sheer nearness of him. Somehow, Leon was just as beautiful dressed up for a festival as on the battlefield.

Only Leon could manage such a thing, and so effortlessly, too.

His thumb brushed against Kamui's neck. The quick warmth was startling. He wanted to lean into it. He wanted more. But, Kamui remained still. Tried to force his mind to blankness and not to go back to those thoughts.

The ones that always got him in trouble.

A few more stitches and Leon pulled back. It wasn't often that Kamui left disappointed when someone with a sharp object near his neck moved away, but Leon was always the exception. 

"There! Fixed! Oh, your cloak is uneven now."

"Uneven? How?"

"Here, let me fix it."

Leon undid the ties and retied it securely. "I should mend that button for later," Leon said softly. "And a cloak tie of gold. That would be a good addition." 

"What, you're going to let me keep the clothes? I figured they were a loan, one that I'd probably have to pay for one way or another."

Leon gave him an annoyed look. "Not everything is about money, Kamui. It's a gift; I'm not so cruel that I'd take back something I worked so hard on for you."

Kamui didn't have any clever come backs for that one.

Lucky for him, Leon caught sight of his bucket of candy and the subject changed. "Wow, _someone_ has an admirer."

"You wish. I got paid for some mercenary work. But the lady paid me in sweets, not gold. Weird customs around here," Kamui said.

"I wish?"

Leon's cheeks were faintly rosy, and he brushed his hair back indignantly.

"Hardly. I don't care what you do with your life. If you get yourself someone, then all the better. But it's nothing to me. Nothing at all. Not in the least."

Of course. That's always what it was. Nothing to Leon, no matter what he did or how hard he worked. He should be used to it by now, but it always stung. Every single time.

It was almost as hopeless as where Leon was stuck, left to do nothing but pine for Valbar and put him on a pedestal. 

But that was none of his business. Nothing about Leon was, he had to keep reminding himself. Soon enough, he'd wander off to do more mercenary jobs and Leon would just be someone he used to know.

Not quite a friend, not quite an enemy. Maybe a mix of both.

All that time, Leon was waiting for chocolate and waiting for some princely knight on a white horse who never came.

He deserved better than that.

"My, I wish I had your problem. Of course, knowing you, you'll set up a stall, and charge double," Leon said.

"I've no plans for that. Here--just take it."

Kamui held out all the chocolate. He didn't like sweets on the best of days.

Leon stared down at the bucket. "This is tempting, but you aren't pitying me, are you?"

Kamui's brow furrowed. "Why would I?"

"Because this is a festival of love, and I'm spending it alone as Valbar is adored by every shop girl in a ten mile radius. Not that I blame them. Trust me, if I wasn't busy fixing _someone's_ cloak, I'd be right there with them," Leon said.

It was like he was a mind reader. Except it wasn't pity. It was some wistful tinge. They'd always be like this. Leon loving somebody who didn't love him back, and Kamui...

He wasn't even going to think about that. Best let those weird thoughts lie. They'd go away when he eventually moved on. Then he could just remember Leon as that sharp-tongued guy he'd once fought beside--and fought with.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"Putting up a stall would be too much trouble. Besides, with the way there's just giving away candy, who wants to pay? I'd just end up with unsold stock that I'll have to haul back to the castle or give away."

"You sound like Anna. I bet you two would get along well," Leon said.

"Don't tell me you're trying to set me up with random shopkeepers now," Kamui said, his voice full of exasperation.

"I don't think she'd be your type," Leon said.

And just like so many other times, Leon was right. Anna was perfectly nice, if you were into moneygrubbing redheads. Or women, for that matter.

Except, apparently Kamui wasn't. He hadn't thought he was into much of anyone, or anyone he would admit to himself, until he met Leon.

The job lasted too long, the attraction was too strong. He couldn't just move to another company and pretend like the way his heart raced was just a fluke like he had all the other times.

(Except those times, the ones he all pushed down and pretended were nothing hadn't been even half the intensity of what he felt for Leon.)

Now he was just stuck with the constant bittersweet revelation that Leon was right, had always been right, and probably always would be right about him.

Not that he'd let Leon know. It wouldn't matter if he said _you're right, I am in love with you._

It wouldn't change a damn thing.

"Well, thank you."

Leon wasted no time in getting into the sweets. Kamui found himself transfixed as Leon took small bites of the candy, and licked the crumbs from his lips. Absolute delight and ecstasy filled his features as he took a bite. "Yum~"

And it was so captivating. The hint of tongue, the slight moan of pleasure at each bite that made him shudder.

Kamui had to look away. Leon was so _cute_ in that moment. It just filled him with more feelings he'd have to push down. More reasons for bitterness. 

Leon tilted his head. "Are you really sure you don't want any?"

"No, like I said, I don't really care for sweets," Kamui said.

"I can't understand you on any level. What, are you eating the gold?"

"Yes, I'm secretly a dragon. Why else would I always be after gold if I wasn't going to eat it?" Kamui said dryly.

Leon's interest was quite piqued at that. "Really?"

Kamui brushed his hair back. "No, there's nothing special about me. I used to be a nomadic sheepherder, now I'm a mercenary, and that's what I'll be until I die."

"I should've known you were pulling one over on me, but some of those dragons do look awful like humans."

"Except the ears. And the eyes. And the part where they turn into giant dragons," Kamui said.

"Mmm, if you say so," Leon said. He took another bite of sweets. His pristine and beautiful face was covered in food. For once, Leon didn't notice. But Kamui sure did.

(When bits of sweets were on Leon's cheeks, suddenly they became appealing. Suddenly, he wanted to lick them off. In the end, it was just another thought to deny.)

Still, he wasn't cruel enough to leave Leon walking through the festival with food on his face. Someone so put together like Leon would be horrified and humiliated at such a thing.

"You got food on your cheeks," Kamui said.

"Here?" Leon brushed at his face, but it was the wrong side.

"Here, I'll get it."

Leon's face flushed as Kamui brushed away the last crumbs with his thumb. For a second, they stood there frozen in time. Kamui's hand against his. Where at some level, he wanted to be.

Kamui pulled back, feeling for that moment like he'd gotten in too deep. _About time to go._

Just a touch could make his heart beat like this.

Leon was very still too. His eyes closed. Kamui couldn't describe it in any way that might give him hope. And that was the worst thing: having hope when he knew it was hopeless.

A clash of metal cut through the tension. Kamui looked back to where the enemy soldiers had come to break up the moment.

"Oh, bother. There's enemies coming in. Must they always ruin our fun? Come now. We'll make short work of them and get back to enjoying the candy."

_"We'll?"_

Leon rolled his eyes. "Don't act so surprised. I'm not one for fighting alone, and you're a pretty good bodyguard. As you certainly know, a lone archer rarely can fell an entire army. After all, you did give me an entire treasure trove of sweets. I should thank you in some way."

"Good to know I'm not on your shitlist for once. I suppose it's true: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," Kamui said.

Leon lifted his eyebrows at that.

"Poor choice of words," Kamui said. 

"Maybe not so poor. This is _very_ good chocolate. Maybe it'll sweeten me up."

"Stranger things have happened," Kamui said.

"Besides, without me around, who will fix your cloak?"

"More importantly, who's going to get bloodstains out of this shirt?" Kamui said.

"Oh, that won't take too long. Soak it a bit in my own solution and the cloth will as good as new. That is, if you can dodge enough to keep your new clothes from getting ripped up."

"You'll make somebody a good wife someday, Leon," Kamui said.

"I'd rather be somebody's husband, thank you very much. Though you're half right. I will absolutely be in that apron cooking for my husband. And sewing his clothes! Oh, my husband will have the finest cloaks and tunics in the land. And I'll never let them get dirty or ripped, ever."

Leon's face was flushed with pleasure at the thought of this future. Kamui couldn't help but smile at Leon's exuberance. The cuteness of the moment overwhelmed the bitter truth that whoever it was, it wouldn't be him.

"Whoever gets to fight with you is a lucky man," Kamui said.

"You're the only one I fight with," Leon said.

"Be careful, people might actually start to think you like me," Kamui said.

"Well they wouldn't be _entirely_ wrong. It's hard to hate someone who just gave you a bucket of sweets. I daresay we make a good team."

"I'll remember that for the next time you're angry at me," Kamui said.

"By all means. Knowing you, it'll take all of an hour. Maybe less. Oh well, I'll admit fighting with you is rather amusing. I could get used to it."

"So could I. Though, I've plenty of practice," Kamui said. 

"Well then, shall we make short work of these annoyances? If we hurry, there'll be more time to spend at the Day of Devotion together."

"Together? Sure, if you want..." Kamui trailed off, and cleared his throat. "So stay back, so you don't get hit, all right?"

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I've been an archer for this long. I know not to go running to the front lines," Leon said.

Leave it to Leon to turn it into something sassy, but that was what he liked about the guy, after all. Kamui couldn't help but think that maybe this festival wasn't too bad. At least, not with Leon here with him.

**Author's Note:**

> author's note: A lone archer can in fact fell an entire army. But only if they're 3-13 sniper or Takumi. Or a well built Noire, for that matter.


End file.
